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SAREX 2007

Fernando Moreira

Fernando Moreirais a long time member of the Washoe County Sheriffﾒs Hasty Team and Washoe County Search & Rescue, Inc. He initially became interested in the art of man-tracking while serving in the Portuguese army in Angola. He has utilized his skill in tracking on a nearly daily basis for the more than 14 years that he has been involved with Search & Rescue. Fernando is a Nevada State P.O.S.T. certified investigative tracker and instructor. He has been a certified tracking instructor in the State of Nevada since 1997. Fernando has assisted local law enforcement officers in finding crucial evidence in several high-profile investigations, most notable, the case against Siaosi Vanisi, who brutally murdered campus police officer George Daniel Sullivan in 1997. Fernando’s other certifications include PSD diver, swift water rescuer, Back Country, SAR tech II, Technical Rope, and Mine Rescue.

Chris Young

Chris Young has been active in Search and Rescue since 1981, managed searches since 1986, is the past reserve Captain for the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team and serves as chairman of the Bay Area Search and Rescue Council (BASARC). Chris is a member of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers (ASLET), is an Instructor for the "Direction and Control of the Search Function Course" for the State of California Office of Emergency Services since 1989, he also teaches Emergency Response and first aid for the American Red Cross since 1973, as well as specialized topics in Search Management, including Search Management in the Urban Environment, and Investigation and Interviewing in SAR. Chris has also written, published and presented search management papers at National Association for Search and Rescue conferences, the William Syrotuck Symposium on Search Theory and Practice and several State Search and Rescue conferences on the subject of Search Management in the Urban Environment. Additionally, Chris is a Level 1 law enforcement reserve with the Sheriff's Dept and the City of Danville. Chris holds a Master of Science Degree in Construction Management and works as a Senior Project Manager for a large general contractor based in San Francisco and is responsible for overall management of multi-million dollar commercial, high rise, hospital and hotel projects.

Bob Craig

Bob Craig has been with the Merced County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue team for eleven years, where he is a Team Sergeant, and is currently a member of Mariposa County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team as well.  He has an extensive background in wilderness and high altitude recreational sports as an alpine mountaineer, climber, white water rafter and extended hiker.  His skill has led him to be a sought after SAR leader for remote, altitude, wilderness incidents with Mariposa County Sheriff’s SAR Unit including Yosemite National Park. A guest lecturer at Winter SAR symposiums and seminars, he has shown his interest and skills through speaking engagements with many units, giving and taking information, trying to increase winter back country safety for various SAR units.

MICHAEL BIGELOW

A participant in K-9 Search and Rescue for the past fifteen years, Mike is a member of Yosemite Search and Rescue (YODOGs) and Placer County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue. He is a retired member of the National Ski Patrol, having worked for a number of years at both Sugar Bowl and Homewood ski areas with his avalanche dog, Jip. Mike was a member of the OES SAR Dog Specialist Working Group which established Search and Rescue Mutual Aid guidelines for dog handlers.

MARY CABLK

Mary has been involved in SAR since 2000 when she joined the Washoe County Sheriff’s Hasty Team (WCSHT) and Wilderness Finders Search Dog Teams (WOOF). Since that time she has participated in searches for lost people in a range of conditions from the Sierra high country to Nevada mines to urban centers. She is also a handler with YODOGS serving Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon NP and with Volcanines, serving LassenNational Park. Mary and her first search dog certified in wilderness, avalanche and cadaver and she presently works a human remains detection dog. In 2004 she traveled to Turkmenistan at the invitation of the U.S. State Department and taught SAR dog basics to their military and government officials. That same year, she worked with Belgian colleagues at a unique facility in Morogoro, Tanzania where African Pouched rats are trained to find landmines (www.apopo.org). Mary has taught also local classes including Avalanche Awareness, Cadaver Dog Basics, and a college semester-long course Wilderness Survival. Her own formal SAR education includes the NationalAvalancheSchool and numerous short courses in training and handling cadaver dogs. In her professional life, she is internationally recognized as the Director of the Desert Tortoise-K9 Program, and is the first to successfully field detection dogs to find a federally listed live wildlife species. Sponsored by the Department of Defense, Mary and her dog handlers have safely fielded on active military bases in the Mojave Desert since 2004. Her research findings have advanced the state of knowledge of detection dogs in arid environments and she is currently developing federal standards for wildlife detection dogs. As part of this work she has published scientific articles on the use and training of detection dogs for wildlife specifically in arid landscapes. Before joining SAR, she guided whitewater river trips, taught climbing, and lead winter adventures in the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest.

RICK FALKENBERG

Assistant Clinical Professor, University of NevadaSchool of Medicine

Training: Anesthesiology, University of Southern California. Sub Specialty: Trauma Anesthesiology. Physician for Ironman World Championships, Junior Olympics

Special interests: Wilderness Medicine, Physiology of Endurance Sports

Graduate Research: Canine Physiology.  Instructor in Red Cross CPR, First aid, First Responder

MIKE FREEMAN

Leader of the Santa Clara Hasty Team, a rapid response team rated Type 1 in ground Search and Mountaineering, Type 2 Technical Rescue. A canine handler for fifteen years, Mike climbs in theHimalayas on his time off, and advises the Nepal Himalaya Rescue Association on safety training for local expedition personnel.

VAUDOIS HANDLEY

November 2001- Present: San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue K9 Unit, Currently Training Sgt. Over 145 Combined Search Missions with Butte County, CARDA, and San Diego Co., over 400 Trainings in Multiple specialties mainly Canine, Approximately 4000 combined Canine Training Hours, Incident    Commander on approximately 30 missions, Communications, Logistics and Safety Officer on approximately 25 missions.  January 1993-December 2004: CARDA November 1992-June 2001: Butte County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (BCSO) Canine Evaluator - Sgt. Burt Quick (San Diego Co. Sheriff’s Office) Canine Trainer - Sgt. Burt Quick (San Diego Co. Sheriff’s Office) Secondary Reinforcement training for K9 at Sea World Canine HRD Training at University of Tennessee; Forensic Anthropology Dept (Body Farm) University of Tennessee Forensic Anthropology Lecture/Slides (Decomposition)       Forensic Anthropology Lecture by Dr. William Bass (SDSU) Basic Cadaver by K9 Specialty Search Associates: (Andy Rebmann and Marcia Koenig) Advanced Cadaver by K9 Specialty Search Associates: (Andy Rebmann and Marcia Koenig)

LINDA LOWRY

14 years in Search and Rescue handling K-9’s. During that time I have held memberships in CARDA, Contra Costa County SAR and 11 years in Placer County SAR, in additions to the Yosemite SAR Dog Team.

BILL MACAULEY

Involved in K-9 Search and Rescue for the past 20 years, he a member of Yosemite Search and Rescue (YODOGS) and WOOF.  He is a firefighter / EMT working for WashoeCounty. 

NOREEN MCCLINTOCK

She is a member of Yosemite Search and Rescue (YODOGS) and WOOF; she is a registered nurse presently working in El DoradoCounty and has been involved in search and rescue for many years.

KEN MYERS

Ken is a member of the Nevada County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team, the California Rescue Dog Association and YODOGS (Yosemite Search and Rescue Dog Team).  He has responded to over 100 searches including wilderness area scent, cadaver, water and avalanche with his dogs Kodiak and Rondo.  Ken’s back country and navigation skills are the result of a lifetime of backpacking, hunting, surveying and mapping in Alaska, California, Kenya, Laos and Nepal.  His experience includes wilderness survival and navigation in conditions ranging from high altitude snow and ice to tropical jungle.

ERIKA NICHOLS

I've enjoyed volunteering my time in search and rescue for the last fourteen years, and I am a member of three teams. They are the Placer County Sheriff SAR Dog Unit, Yosemite Search and Rescue and the California Rescue Dog Association. My passion is high altitude wilderness searches. Two of my German Shepherds specialized in air scent and one was also certified in cadaver. Now, I'm in the process of training my third shepherd. I enjoy teaching and taught canine obedience classes in the past. 

RICK STRASSER 

Retired Firefighter Paramedic with the Barstow Fire Protection District.  He has been involved in many phases of Search and Rescue since 1973.  He is currently the Captain of the Kern County Sheriff Department Search Canine Unit; a canine, technical and swift water rescue technician, snow safety/avalanche specialist and on the SAR Overhead Team for the National Park Service based out of Yosemite but on loan to Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks.  He is a graduate of the State of California Direction and Control and Winter Operations courses; the NationalAvalancheSchool; and numerous winter and canine courses including trailing, advance cadaver, wilderness, technical rock and ice rescue and water search and recovery.  He currently teaches Search and Rescue Classes for the National Park Service and the State of California.

JEFF WAIT

Long time California resident has combined two of his passions, his love for the Sierra’s and his K-9 companion. Jeff is a semi retired construction Foreman and has been able to research and train with several veterans in the SAR world, K-9 and operations as well. Participating in wilderness or urban searches, criminal or recovery. This variety is not uncommon and rounds out a good trailing team. This passion and determination has taken him and Baron all over California and Nevada. Honest work is the goal. To serve and to learn is the reward.  Jeff and Baron are members of “WOOF”, Wilderness Finders, Yodogs, Yosemite, and Calaveras Co. SAR.

Ron Seitz  -  Alameda County SAR and CARDA

Certifications in field taught:  NASAR MLPI Instructor Course, State of California Direction and Control of SAR, NASAR Sartech II Lead Evaluator, BASARC Search Management Instructor

Instructor Biography: Ron Seitz has been involved in Search and Rescue for 31 years. Ron is currently the Chief of the Alameda County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue unit and former President and is currently a Mission Ready Trailing Dog Handler with the California Rescue Dog Association. He is a NASAR SAR-TECH II Coordinator, Emergency Vehicle Operations instructor and an instructor for search management classes. Ron has been involved in a variety of Search and Rescue missions from lost and missing persons, downed aircraft, drowning and water emergencies. These include, the Loma Preita Earthquake, Oakland Hills Fire Storm, the Polly Klass search and several high profile missing person cases in the San Francisco / Bay Area.

Michael St. John

St. John has been a member of the Marin County Sheriff Search and Rescue team since 1979, and has been the Unit Leader for the team since 1989. Additionally, Michael is a Fire Captain with the Mill Valley Fire Department and serves on the Marin County HAZ MAT team as a Hazardous Materials Specialist. He also worked as a Level II Reserve Patrol Deputy with the Marin County Sheriff's Office for 17 years. Michael has gained much expertise in ICS and scene management through his diverse work experience in emergency services. Michael is an instructor for the State OES Law Enforcement Division on search management and abduction search strategies. Michael has played and integral role in the development and implementation of child abduction and search tactics.

Jim Volz

Jim has been active in EMS projects for over 20 years. Working with the American Red Cross and Santa Clara County Sheriff Search and Rescue keeps him busy and skills updated.  In the real world Jim works for AlliedBarton Security Services since 1997. Jim Spent 9 years as the District Trainer for the San Jose, CA office. Jim has over 30 class the he teaches to security officers. His current assignment is Director of Public Safety for Eastridge Mall.  Eastridge is a Mall with 120 stores, 1.3 million leasable space, a 15 screen AMC and 3918 space parking lot on 108 acres.

His dept has 20 officers and 4 dispatchers.  Jim is certified Instructor in MOAB, (Management of Aggressive Behavior), PATH (Practical and Tactical handcuffing) as well as OCAT (Pepper Spray Training) also Conflict Resolution and Self defense.

Jim has been married for 36 years and has 5 kids, 8 grandkids, and 1 great grandson. Family keeps him busy when work or Volunteering lets him have a weekend free. Jim has been in the San Jose area since 1971 and involved in EMS and Law Enforcement and Security for most of that time.  Volunteering is very import to him and believes that everyone needs to spend what time they can to give back to the community they live in.

Jorene Downs

Jorene has been a trained volunteer in public safety for over 20 years, often at the management level. Her background includes law > enforcement, search and rescue (SAR), and CERT (Community Emergency  Response> Team.) Ms. Downs' specialty in SAR is Mounted SAR. She teaches clinics and at conferences around the country, often educating management on effective use of the resource. She is the author of numerous articles, is active at the national level developing national/international standards for Mounted SAR, and is the NASAR (National Association for Search and Rescue) chair for Mounted SAR.

BRANDON LATHAM

Brandon moved to Yosemite in 2000 and have been a SAR-Sitter, living in Camp 4, working for YOSAR full-time until 2007, now part-time. My experience with YOSAR and other rigging jobs here and abroad have afforded me the opportunity to be an instructor for another world-class team, Rigging for Rescue.  My passions lye in climbing, mountaineering and rigging.

Majid Sabetzadeh

Majid has been involved with search and rescue for more then 11 years in Santa Clara County and also a member of Yosemite Search and rescue (YOSAR) since 1999. He has done recreational mountaineering and climbing for more than 20 years and has summated several peaks in Himalayas in exceed of 20,000 feet. Since 1999, Majid also has been involved with International Red Crescent Society (International Red Cross) in Middle East training mountain rescue teams and regularly travels to ME to provide SAR courses to IRCS personal. He has certifications and trainings in ICS, CA OES Winter SAR Management, OES Direction and Control of Search Function D&C, Man Tracking, Rigging For Rescue, Confided Space, Swift water, Avalanche rescue, HAZ MAT first responders, numerous certification from Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) and the American Red Cross. Other certifications includes ham radio operator (KR6SAR) and FAA certified aircraft, maintenance technician.

Fred Bozzo

Fred has been in the off-road industry for 25 years and currently owns and operates California Off Road Inc. a truck & jeep accessory store in Modesto, Ca.  Fred has been offroading and trial riding for much of his life and has been a volunteer with Mariposa County SAR.  He has been an associate member of the CA4WDC for 20years.

Dan Blocher

Dan has been 4wheeling an going off road since he was a small kid. He has been building and testing off-road rigs for about 15 years. He currently works as the head mechanic for California Off Road inc. and he belongs to 4x4 in motion an off road club in the central valley of ca. And belongs to CA4WDC.

Dana Kirsch Ray

Dana Kirsch Ray has been involved in Search and Rescue for over 15 years.  She has a Master's Degree in learning and brain science from MIT. She is a Nationally Registered Paramedic. She has been a Mission Ready K9 handler since 2001. She is an active member of her county Sheriff SAR team, including being a Type 1 Ground Pounder, NASAR, Civil Air Patrol, and OES. Dana has participated in over 100 searches, and her retired K9, Geiger, in over 40. Dana worked for FEMA during the 2004 hurricane season in Florida.

Art Fortini, Sierra Madre Search & Rescue

Art joined Sierra Madre SAR in 1991, and has been very active with the team ever since.  As chair of the R&D committee, he has performed original research in several different areas of mountain rescue, and he is a regular presenter at the International Technical Rescue Symposium.  Topics have included the abrasion resistance of rope and webbing, identification of the failure modes of snow anchors, and techniques for estimating the strengths of snow anchors.  Art was the lead trainer for new team members from 2003 – 2006, and he is currently the team president.

John Fox, Captain FFPD

John Fox has been a Firefighter/Captain/Battalion Chief with Felton Fire Protection District for 22 years. An avid horseman, John established the Felton Fire Dept. LAR Unit that responds mutual aid throughout central California. His analytical mind continues to resolve the many challenges of LAR incidents to build routine responses to highly volatile situations.  He is the primary developer of LAR-Operational, approved by CA State Fire Training and POST and is a CA State Fire Instructor 1.

Deb Fox, FF2/EMT FFPD

Deb Fox has been an active responder with the FFPD for 9 years, first as photographer then as a Firefighter/EMT. A horsewoman with 20 years experience, she is a lead in the LAR Unit and a veteran of numerous rescues. With a passion for horses, Deb continues to develop and apply an understanding of horse behavior and characteristics to on-scene handling and safety. Deb earned her CA State Fire Instructor 1A and 1B and was a developer of LAR-Operational.

Dr. Craig London, DVM:

Dr London graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine on 1980 and practices vet medicine in Bishop California. He is a co-owner of Rock Creek Pack Station in southeaster Sierra Nevada.  He has taught many University Extension courses on veterinary care and Wilderness packing.

Billie Patrick, National Park Service Yosemite

Billie Patrick has worked for the National Park Service since 1983.  She has done many jobs as a Patrol Ranger and Search and Rescue. She is currently the Mounted Patrol Supervisor for Yosemite National Park and the President of the California Mounted Officers Association.  Billie has taught numerous mounted courses throughout the country and Canada.

Mike Preston, National Park Service Yosemite

Mike Preston has been packing mules in the Sierras most of his life. He was most recently has packed for Delaware North Corporation, and the National Park Service in Yosemite.  Mike has helped with several search and rescue missions in the park.

Chris Flanagan, National Park Service Yosemite

Chris Flanagan has been working with horses and mules most of his life.  He has an extensive knowledge of packing.  Chris knows how to pack a myriad of equipment to support search and rescue operations throughout the sierras.

Jorene Downs

Jorene Downs has been a trained volunteer in public safety for over 20 years, often at the management level. She is the author of numerous articles, is active at the national level developing national/international standards for Mounted SAR and is the NASAR (National Association for Search and Rescue) chair for Mounted SAR

Matt Scharper

Matt is a Deputy Chief with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services - Law Enforcement Branch and is the California State Search and Rescue Coordinator.  Matt is headquartered out of the Region V office, located in Fresno, CA and is also the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Coordinator for Region V. A recognized expert in the field of Search and Rescue, he spent 13 years as the Search and Rescue Unit Coordinator for the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Department and has over 29 years of combined search and rescue experience.   He has coordinated literally hundreds of searches, rescues, and large and small-scale disasters.  A previous college instructor for search and rescue topics of: Search Management and Tactics, Technical Rope Rescue, Swiftwater Rescue, Man Tracking, and Law Enforcement Incident Command Systems along with other Law Enforcement topics. He is the lead instructor for the O.E.S. Search and Rescue Instruction Program, instructing the “Direction and Control of the Search Function Course” and the “Winter Operations SAR Management Course” and is responsible for all State of California SAR programs.  Matt’s 22 year law enforcement career has earned him California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certificates of “Advanced, Supervisory, and Management”.

PAUL E. WALTERS

Paul is an Assistant Chief with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services - Law Enforcement Branch and is the Liaison for the California Wing of the Civil Air Patrol. Paul is headquartered out of the Region 1 office, located in Los Alamitos, CA and is also the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Coordinator for Region 1. A recognized expert in the Standardized Emergency Management System / Incident Command System (SEMS/ICS), he spent 27 years on the Los Angeles Police Department. He has taught at all levels of government and to civilian organizations in the field of SEMS/ICS since 1996. Paul’s 32 year law enforcement career has earned him California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certificates at the “Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Supervisory” levels. Paul also served as the Chief of the Rialto Unified School District Police Department.  He also served two terms as a school board member of the Rowland Unified School District. Paul introduced and taught SEMS/ICS to both of these districts and the Los Angeles Police Department.

PAULA CARR

Paula is a Deputy Chief with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services - Law Enforcement Branch and is the State Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Coordinator.  Paula is headquartered out of the Region III office, located in Redding, CA and is also the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Coordinator for Region III. Paula has 19 years of sworn law enforcement experience between the City of Chico PD, CSU Chico PD, and OES Law Enforcement Branch. She is a certified instructor in Women’s Sexual Assault Defense (RAD), POST Active Shooter Response, Law Enforcement Response to Weapons of Mass Destruction, and SEMS/NIMS compliance. Paula served on the 44 man CSU Critical Response Unit Team which received specialized training in dignitary protection, crowd control, high risk warrant service, and high and low angle rescue/disaster response. She was on dignitary protection teams for Mikhail Gorbichov, former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Perez, Former Governor Gray Davis, and President Bill Clinton.  Paula’s law enforcement career has earned her California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certificates at the “Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, and Management” levels. She is the OES Law Enforcement Branch Liaison to the California College and University Police Chiefs Association, and also sits on both the California and National Law Enforcement Resource Typing Committees reviewing the original Law Enforcement Response Resources identified and defined by FEMA. 

Ken Buscho

Ken has been a member of California Explorer Search and Rescue (Cal-ESAR) since 1985, and at various times has served as its Unit Leader, Training Director, Operations Leader and Cache Manager. He has taught Map and Compass and other classes for SAR teams and community groups across the state on behalf of Cal-ESAR and the California Office of Emergency Services.  Trained as a botanist and park naturalist, Ken also worked as an EMT and as a backcountry guide before switching over to the IT field along the way.  He has worked in the computer field since the 80's as a programmer, trainer, and as technical support manager in corporate and government positions in both the US and Germany.  He is currently involved in projects to integrate portable IT solutions into the SAR environment.

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